Some days are just filled with frustration. Endless lines, traffic, annoying people at work, and overwhelming tasks are just few examples of what throws my frustration meter into the red. Of course, the kicker is staring at a blank screen on Blogger for at least 20 minutes while my mind culls through the remnants of the day trying to find a worthwhile topic of discussion. Should I write about the new stick on fingernail polish strips that I really like? Nah...too trivial. How about the new standards being implemented in math and English? Nah...too much education-ese. What about people who make off-hand, insulting comments and are too oblivious to know they've offended someone? Nah...too whiny. There's always the news article about how Mexico wants the U.S. to declare an "emergency" rule and require gun stores along the border to report semi-automatic / long gun sales in an effort to staunch the flow of weapons to drug cartels. (The bit of irony here is, of course, that the U.S. would like Mexico to stop the flow of illegal aliens crossing the border. Looks like neither side is getting its way.) Nah...too controversial. My next option is a discussion of being a proud parent since my son aced a difficult lab report in honors chemistry, but that seems a little too peacock-ish. So, I'm left with the topic of frustration.
Of course we're all familiar with the adage, "no pain - no gain" or "April showers bring May flowers," but I think Faulkner puts the idea more eloquently with "People need trouble - a little frustration to sharpen the spirit on, toughen it." The pervasive concept that frustration is a good thing sometimes bothers me. Yes, spiritual growth comes from struggle and enlightenment; however, day-to-day frustrations with a society that has lost sight of basic values is not about becoming a better person. Or is it? Is my ability to keep my wits and focus during an 8-hour meeting in which a large group of English teachers dissected new standards good for me? Does the fact that I sat in a rather long line at the vehicle emissions testing station without so much as one heavy sigh mean that I'm on the road to patience? I don't think so. These frustrations, in the grand scheme of things, seem pretty trivial. Actually, most frustrations - when taken as part of the big picture - seem pretty trivial. Then, why do we get so annoyed? Perhaps it is because we have a limited amount of time - only 24 hours in a day - to accomplish all our tasks. So, whenever some random event (or person) interferes with the little time keeper in our head saying, "Aren't you done yet? - Tick tock! Tick tock!" we get upset.
I've noticed that some people are actually good at being frustrated. We all know these people; they're the Eeyore's of the world. (Thanks for noticing.) These people have made a life of being constantly annoyed. A prime example of this is Andy Rooney. His perpetually furrowed brow and whining voice strike a chord with each of us. As he discusses someone's rude behavior in a department store, we nod our heads in sympathy and empathy. As he makes a cynical comment on society, we release a knowing chuckle. All of us can relate to his experiences. Actually, that's the cool part of frustration: like every emotion, it's universal. Perhaps we should find a way to harness this notion of frustration as a common bond among all people. Wouldn't that be the greatest irony of all?
Of course we're all familiar with the adage, "no pain - no gain" or "April showers bring May flowers," but I think Faulkner puts the idea more eloquently with "People need trouble - a little frustration to sharpen the spirit on, toughen it." The pervasive concept that frustration is a good thing sometimes bothers me. Yes, spiritual growth comes from struggle and enlightenment; however, day-to-day frustrations with a society that has lost sight of basic values is not about becoming a better person. Or is it? Is my ability to keep my wits and focus during an 8-hour meeting in which a large group of English teachers dissected new standards good for me? Does the fact that I sat in a rather long line at the vehicle emissions testing station without so much as one heavy sigh mean that I'm on the road to patience? I don't think so. These frustrations, in the grand scheme of things, seem pretty trivial. Actually, most frustrations - when taken as part of the big picture - seem pretty trivial. Then, why do we get so annoyed? Perhaps it is because we have a limited amount of time - only 24 hours in a day - to accomplish all our tasks. So, whenever some random event (or person) interferes with the little time keeper in our head saying, "Aren't you done yet? - Tick tock! Tick tock!" we get upset.
I've noticed that some people are actually good at being frustrated. We all know these people; they're the Eeyore's of the world. (Thanks for noticing.) These people have made a life of being constantly annoyed. A prime example of this is Andy Rooney. His perpetually furrowed brow and whining voice strike a chord with each of us. As he discusses someone's rude behavior in a department store, we nod our heads in sympathy and empathy. As he makes a cynical comment on society, we release a knowing chuckle. All of us can relate to his experiences. Actually, that's the cool part of frustration: like every emotion, it's universal. Perhaps we should find a way to harness this notion of frustration as a common bond among all people. Wouldn't that be the greatest irony of all?
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